The invention relates to, in general, to plate-type metallurgical furnaces, and, more particularly, to a new and useful arrangement for securing plate-type coolers in metallurgical furnaces, such as blast furnaces, with the coolers being provided on the inside of the furnace shell and their coolant conducting pipes extending through openings in the furnace shell while being surrounded therein in spaced relationship by protective tubes which are run into the cooler, and with the openings in the furnace shell being sealed to prevent gas escape.
Plate-type coolers of a blast furnace cooling system are secured to the inside of the furnace shell in various ways. A known method of securing provides almost rigid attachments by welding the protective tubes surrounding the cooling pipes firmly to holding plates, or sealing caps, which in turn are welded to the furnace shell. Due to the varying expansions of the coolers, under varying heat from the furnace interior, the mentioned welds are alternately stressed, and eventually break down thereby causing leaks in the furnace.
According to another manner of securing, the coolers are held in place by bolts which are passed through the cooler plate and screwed into the furnace shell. The bolthead is countersunk in a recess on the inside. At the outside, a nut is provided that is sealed by a cap (see West German Offenlegungsschrift No. 27 43 380).
During high thermal loads on the plate-type cooler, the securing bolts suffer undue extension, or the boltheads may even melt away. The plates may then move toward the furnace center, so that reaction gas flows through the gap formed between the cooler and the furnace shell and excessively heat the shell. The protective tubes bear against the openings in the shell and cause constraints. The invention is intended to eliminate such drawbacks.